Sam Farha - Top Omaha player
If you have been watching poker on TV lately, then you must be familiar with Sammy Farha's face,
as he is a regular at the poker series "High Stakes Poker".
Or you can have seen him if you watched the replay of the final table of the 2003 WSOP Main Event, when
he finished second to winner Chris Moneymaker. 2003 is the year when online poker started to explode after Chris'
victory, who was an unknown in poker circles, having qualified through a $39 satellite tournament.
Sammy Farha is a pure poker talent, considered to be one of the best Omaha Poker players in
the world. It is interesting that he made it to the final twos at the 2003 WSOP NLHE main event among 839
players even though he is an Omaha specialist.
Sammy Farha, poker talent
Sam Farha is the epitome of the American Dream. A refugee from a civil war ravaged Lebanon, he is now rich and famous.
While a teenager, he had to leave his beloved hometown of Beirut and settled in Wichita, Kansas. A bright young man,
he attended business school at the University of Kansas and started to work in Houston, Texas. Meanwhile he learned poker
and won money from the beginning while playing at the local casino.
It did not take long for Sammy to get hooked and given his natural talent, he took the plunge and turned pro in
1990. A move that he certainly does not regret.
Sam, Pot-Limit Omaha specialist.
Sammy Farha's results are probably not as publicly known as other famous players, as he is a PLO side games specialist.
But this is where the money is, due to the higher variance and lower skill level in these games.
Sam has two WSOP bracelets: the 1996 $2,500 PLO event earning $145k and the 2006 $5,000 Limit Omaha 8/B winning
$398k. In addition he has 5 WSOP money finishes and 3 WPT money finishes. His total live tournament winnings exceed
$2.3 million.
Sam is one of the most likable poker players at televised high stakes games, due to his cool and fun attitude. And he
is no joke. He won a $391k pot against Barry Grenstein when his kings flopped a trip versus Barry's pocket rockets. What
is cool about Sam is that he always behaves nicely whenever he gives or takes a bad beat.
If you want a good introduction to limit Omaha High, Omaha/8 and PLO, check his book "Farha on Omaha: Expert Strategy
for Beating Cash Games and Tournaments".
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